diff --git a/build.gradle b/build.gradle
index 106818b0..7293d187 100644
--- a/build.gradle
+++ b/build.gradle
@@ -144,10 +144,13 @@ ant.properties.'ci.build.num' = "${tagMatcher().find() ? tagMatcher()[0][2] : '9
 task check {
   dependsOn {
     [
-      ':coderules-test',
-      ':samples/mpscore:mpscore-test',
-      ':samples/lambdacalc:lambdacalc-test',
-      ':samples/fitch:fitch-test'
+      ':samples/mpscore:mpscore-check',
+      ':samples/lambdacalc:lambdacalc-check',
+      ':samples/fitch:fitch-check'
     ]
   }
+  // tests from this target also include model checker invocation, which requires everything to be built
+  finalizedBy {
+    ':coderules-check'
+  }
 }
diff --git a/samples/fitch/build.gradle b/samples/fitch/build.gradle
index e4417a39..7b2c7d42 100644
--- a/samples/fitch/build.gradle
+++ b/samples/fitch/build.gradle
@@ -28,8 +28,20 @@ ant.importBuild('build.xml') {antTarget ->
   }
 }
 
+'fitch-declare-mps-tasks' {
+  dependsOn {
+    ':init'
+  }
+}
+
 'fitch-generate' {
   dependsOn {
     ':coderules-assemble'
   }
 }
+
+task check {
+  dependsOn {
+    'fitch-check'
+  }
+}
diff --git a/samples/lambdacalc/build.gradle b/samples/lambdacalc/build.gradle
index 6b427748..c1bd6a1e 100644
--- a/samples/lambdacalc/build.gradle
+++ b/samples/lambdacalc/build.gradle
@@ -28,8 +28,20 @@ ant.importBuild('build.xml') {antTarget ->
   }
 }
 
+'lambdacalc-declare-mps-tasks' {
+  dependsOn {
+    ':init'
+  }
+}
+
 'lambdacalc-generate' {
   dependsOn {
     ':coderules-assemble'
   }
 }
+
+task check {
+  dependsOn {
+    'lambdacalc-check'
+  }
+}
diff --git a/samples/mpscore/build.gradle b/samples/mpscore/build.gradle
index 66cd95f3..c0f1a4fd 100644
--- a/samples/mpscore/build.gradle
+++ b/samples/mpscore/build.gradle
@@ -28,8 +28,20 @@ ant.importBuild('build.xml') {antTarget ->
   }
 }
 
+'mpscore-declare-mps-tasks' {
+  dependsOn {
+    ':init'
+  }
+}
+
 'mpscore-generate' {
   dependsOn {
     ':coderules-assemble'
   }
 }
+
+task check {
+  dependsOn {
+    'mpscore-check'
+  }
+}